Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-09-16
PAGAN PLAY.THlNGS.
How the Chinese Children of SAN Fran.
cisco Amuse Themselves.

A peep into the play corner of
Celestial Juvenile makes plain the fac:
that few play-things suffice for the
pleasures of the youth of the Flowers
Kingdom. Dolls there are, to be sure.
but the girls make very little of them.
and they are often petted and patted
! by the boys There does not seem to
be so much of the make-believe among
the childish players of Chinatown as
there is among white children. Al.
though joss appeals to their magma
ton, II doll is only doll. This may
bc accounted for by the fact that about
the time when they would naturally
begin to take most interest in wax
features and saw-dust bodies, their at
tention is called to dolls of flesh and
blood. Hardly has the female Mon
golan fairly begun TO steady herself
in her clumsy shoes and she is made
n saddle-hOrse for the mOnth-Old tots
of her own or some other family
Sometimes the MISUNDERSTANDING little
maid who bends her back to the daily
task of giving the baby an airing has
such Il tired expression of countenance
that ii would appear TO be only fair,
especially in view of the disproportion
of burden to bearer, that places be
changed for Il time.
But, besides the hnman play-things,
there are odd puzzles to be put to-
| gethcr or strung into certain shapes,
gorgeous glass marbles to roll about,
balls with strings attached SO that they
may not get lost. and cOlored blocks
with which To build wonderful houses,
4 bridges and towers; diminutive jnnks
To pull about on the floor. and small
mirrors in which To sean small yellow
features and NARROW black eyes. The
abacus. oi. mechanical counter, is
very early age, and it is wonderful 10
Americans how quickly mathematics
are mastered in this manner by little
fellows hardly knee high.
When kite-tlying is to be considered,
the Chinese of any age are always
children. Old men take as keen de-
light in sailing paper dragons and birds
;,s boys of ten. But this does not detract
from the pleasure of the boys, who
unwind the Ritc-string and watch their
cherished toy float away with an inter
est that flags not with each successive
aerial flight. More Chinese kites are
flown by American boys in San IRAN
cIscO than in any other city in the
United States, but one is not often af-
fordcd the spectacle of IA Celestial
youth flying II kite even in this eos
mopolilan place, as they are usually
sent up from the roofs of buildings out
Of view of the street.
Top-spnning is favorite amuse-
mcnt. and in this the Chinese are ex-
periS. The length of time in which
they can keep the humming object in
motion isquitc remarkable.
Chinese boys from eight to twelve
years of age play an odd game with
sticks of wood about three feet long. A
stick is gra>ped near the middle and
thrown sideways, the object being to
cross il upon another stick lying upor
the ground. The secret of the game
and the points to be made have never
been mastered by the American boy,
who hang about the outskirts of China
town. The small Californian votes ii ;
very dull play and can not see wha
there is in il to arouse the enthusiasm
of the youthful heather.
There is n Chinese game, however
that never fails to arouse the interes
and envy of the white BOYS. 1t i
played with \ loaded cork bcsiuck Will
, feathers The game is TO keep til,
: cork in the air. The first player throw
f up the shuttlecdck and before it agai,
f reaches the earth he twists his foot ant
, gives the descending object kick will
his heel which sends it up into the air
, sometimes rs high rs twenty feet. Whel
it descends again he tries to keep i
within range of his heel as long rs pos
, siblc. but the play soon fails to be cX
' elusive; other boys standing anxiousl,
f about manage 10 get kick at it, send
| ing ii AVA, from the first player. Win
| then joins the outsiders in II genera
1 scramble To gain possession. SOM
: times in the heat of the play, when tn
q crowd is punched together. the shuttle
3 cock is struck by the hand, but that i
, not allowable unless it is in danger O
= reaching the ground before the hce
: can strike it. Expert PLAYERS keeI
| their hands in their sleeves, hitting III
| feaihery object only with the heel. an,
q thus keeping il from the ground 10
: hours Al time. Great skill is nece.
: .ary for this game, and where Amcri
: can boys have undertaken to play
g with the heather they have always eat
9 sorry figure. San Francisco Chronicit